Home > Side Dishes > Roasted Asparagus Roasted Asparagus March 15, 2020 | 32 Comments SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Jump to Recipe This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy. Delicious Roasted Asparagus with the perfect easy seasoning blend and grated Parmesan cheese. Add a little crunch with panko and/or breadcrumbs! Roasted Asparagus is a favorite wherever whenever I serve it. Today I’m sharing all my tips and tricks to have the very best results, filled with flavor and great texture. We love serving this asparagus alongside this Beet and Goat Cheese Salad, these creamy Mashed Potatoes, and Roasted Carrots for the perfect side dish lineup. Uses for Roasted Asparagus We love asparagus around these parts! It’s such a great vegetable that adds texture and flavor to so many dishes. It’s also perfect as a standalone side dish (especially for Easter or other holiday meals). Roasted Asparagus is also a great addition to a meat-heavy main course. Some of our favorite meals using Roasted Asparagus (besides as a side dish) are this One-Pan Sausage and Veggie Dish, this Balsamic Asparagus salad, or this One-Pan Lemon Chicken. Beyond the scrumptious taste, there are also many health benefits to eating asparagus which I’ll discuss later. Another great thing about asparagus is how quickly it can be ready. In only about 10 minutes of roasting time, you can have this delicious side dish on your table. Shopping for and storing asparagus Look for straight (not saggy), plump asparagus spears. Avoid asparagus with dry or split ends. Choose thin or thick stems? That’s a matter of personal preference! Thinner stems are sweeter and more tender. Thicker stems have a stronger asparagus flavor and a more “meaty” texture. Storage: While I recommend using your asparagus within 1-2 days of purchasing, you can extend the shelf life by storing it well. To store it for extended periods (up to 5-6 days), begin by keeping the rubber band on the bunch of asparagus and trimming off the bottom 1 inch of the spears. Stand the spears in a large liquid measuring cup with 1-2 inches of water–just like a flower bouquet. Loosely cover the asparagus with a plastic bag and store it in the fridge. Change the water as it begins to look cloudy. When you’re ready to make Roasted Asparagus, be sure the spears are completely dry. Recognizing when asparagus has gone bad: Wetness and slime are signs that asparagus is no longer good. If the asparagus has a bad odor it’s likely not good anymore. Fresh asparagus should have no odor. How to clean and prepare Roasted Asparagus Rinse the asparagus spears under cold water to remove any dirt or debris. Dry the spears by rolling them between two kitchen towels. Snap off the ends of the stems with your fingers. The bottom inch (or so) will naturally break off. This breaking point is where the woody part ends and the tender stem begins. This is why it’s best to break with your hands instead of cutting all at once. By cutting all at once you might cut too much of the tender stem off or not enough of it, resulting in less-than-ideal roasted asparagus. How to roast asparagus Follow the steps above for cleaning and preparing the asparagus, including snapping off the woody ends. Place stems on a large sheet pan and toss them first in olive oil, butter, and seasonings. Adding both butter and oil allows for greater flavor and perfect caramelization. Toss it all once more with the freshly grated Parmesan and Panko bread crumbs. Now spread the spears apart as much as possible and roast! Enjoy this perfect Roasted Asparagus with a couple more tablespoons of Parmesan cheese on top. If you’ve ever made asparagus from Ina Garten’s recipe, you’ll know that she adds olive oil, salt, and pepper. It’s a great basic asparagus recipe, and you can follow my recipe below, removing the breadcrumbs and Parmesan, to get similar results. This is a great basic recipe if you want to enjoy cold roasted asparagus. When is asparagus fully cooked? Roasted Asparagus is done when it’s bright green and tender but still has a slight bite to it. You can pierce the spears with a fork or take a quick bite of one to gauge how crisp-tender they are. Difficult to chew? Undercooked Mushy? Overcooked While you’re enjoying how delicious Roasted Asparagus is, you are also benefiting from how good it is for your body. Below are just a few of the many benefits (read up more here). Health Benefits of Asparagus Asparagus is packed with vitamins and minerals. It helps fight bloating (it promotes overall digestive health). It’s linked to boosting your mood and reducing irritability (thanks to the folate and vitamin B). This veggie is low in calories and fat, yet high in fiber. Fiber helps you feel more satiated between meals. Recipe tips Panko bread crumbs are similar to regular bread crumbs, but they create a much crunchier result. Here’s an article to explain it further. Use a large sheet pan: The more space the vegetables have (the less crowded they are) the better they roast. When vegetables are overlapping on a sheet pan, they end up steaming instead of roasting. This affects the end taste and texture. I’ve started using this 15×21-inch sheet pan – which is practically the width of my oven. Using a huge sheet pan makes a big difference for this Roasted Asparagus recipe! The actual thickness of asparagus can vary greatly. It’s important to check while roasting rather than relying solely on a time guideline. Grate the Parmesan cheese with a microplane for perfect texture. Roasted Asparagus Accompaniments Shepherd’s Pie (reader favorite) Crock Pot Roast (incredible flavors) Bruschetta Chicken (great Spring meal) Baked Ziti with Chicken (cheesy comfort meal) Stuffed Shells (simple to make) FOLLOW ALONG! Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates, recipes and content. Roasted Asparagus 4.88 from 8 votes - Review this recipe Delicious Roasted Asparagus with the perfect easy seasoning blend and grated Parmesan cheese. Add a little crunch to your roasted asparagus with panko and/or breadcrumbs! SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe Roasted Asparagus 4.88 from 8 votes - Review this recipe SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe Delicious Roasted Asparagus with the perfect easy seasoning blend and grated Parmesan cheese. Add a little crunch to your roasted asparagus with panko and/or breadcrumbs! Course Side Dish, Vegetarian Cuisine American, Vegetarian Keyword Roasted Asparagus Prep Time 5 minutes Cook Time 10 minutes Total Time 15 minutes Servings 4 - 8 servings Calories 173kcal Author Chelsea Cost $3.52 Ingredients▢ 1 and 1/2 pounds asparagus, woody ends removed▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil▢ 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted▢ 1/2 teaspoon EACH: fine sea salt, dried Italian seasoning▢ 1/4 teaspoon EACH: garlic powder, freshly cracked pepper▢ 1/3 cup panko bread crumbs (or breadcrumbs - Note 1)▢ 1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided InstructionsPreheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Use your largest baking sheet (I recommend a 15×21-inch sheet pan).Wash under cold water and dry completely. (Do this quickly by rolling the spears in between two kitchen towels.) Snap off the woody ends from each spear. Place the asparagus spears directly on the large sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and melted butter. Add the salt, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and pepper. Toss until the spears are well coated. They need to have enough oil and butter so the panko and Parmesan will stick; add an additional tablespoon of oil if needed (if you have more than 1.5 pounds asparagus). Finally, sprinkle the panko and 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese. Again, toss gently to ensure the panko and Parmesan coat all the spears.Spread the asparagus into a single even layer, making sure they aren't overlapping; otherwise, you get steamed instead of roasted asparagus (use 2 sheet pans if needed). Some of the panko/Parmesan will fall to the tray and that's fine as long as most of the asparagus is well coated. If not, sprinkle the mixture on the spears.Bake 7-11 minutes or until spears are lightly browned, tender, and the Parmesan cheese is melted. (this may vary depending on actual oven temperature and size of spears). Remove from the oven and sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese on the hot asparagus. I like to take some of the toasted panko from the tray and add it on top of the bowl or platter of spears.Enjoy immediately while hot. Recipe NotesNote 1:Panko: I think panko makes all the difference for this asparagus, but regular breadcrumbs will also work. if you prefer, you can omit the crumbs entirely. To read about panko/breadcrumb, click here. You can typically find panko in the Japanese cuisine section of your store or near regular breadcrumbs. Nutrition FactsServing: 8servings | Calories: 173kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 13mg | Sodium: 174mg | Potassium: 362mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1438IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 150mg | Iron: 4mg We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed. DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @ChelseasMessyApron or leave me a comment below.
Your recipes are always worth the share! This asparagus looks TO DIE FOR DELICIOUS! I am so excited it is asparagus season and man do they look tasty 🙂 Awesome photos, too! Reply
I absolutely loved this easy, tasty, refreshing dish. I served it with a slather of garlic lemon hummus to be paired with roasted chicken. Divine! Thanks for sharing. Reply
The grated parmesan cheese on the top is EVERYTHING. 🙂 Thanks for sharing this delicious and healthy recipe Chelsea! 🙂 Reply
Oh my gosh, I made Roasted Asparagus this like three days ago! It is such a great dish, isn’t it?! I love the combination of seasonings you used! Reply
This. Looks. AWESOME! I will try this recipe recently. Thank a nice recipe come from chelseasmessyapron Reply
I loved this recipe and so did my family (even my 6 year old)! I’ve never made asparagus before and your instructions from washing to cooking were so helpful. It turned out perfect. Reply
I made this for Thanksgiving dinner, and it was perfect! I used 2 bunches of asparagus, and we ate almost all of it! I might try this with broccoli or cauliflower. Thank you for this recipe! Reply
Thank you! I am always overcooking asparagus. Not with this recipe – perfecto! A little crunch and wonderfully seasoned. Reply
Hands down the BEST recipe for roasted asparagus I’ve ever had in my life! I have searched the Web and your recipes stand out because of the flavor and the knowledge that comes along with your recipes! I absolutely adore you. Thank you for bringing flavor back into my kitchen with foods that I typically wouldn’t attempt to cook. I recently started dating a gentleman who is a vegetarian and your recipes help me look like a rock star! Thank you!!! Reply
Awe Michelle your comment seriously made my day! I am so happy to hear how much you loved the asparagus and so happy you’ve enjoyed my other recipes! You sound like a rock star! 🙂 Thanks for your comment! 🙂 Reply
We made it for Easter Dinner- very tasty and I liked the seasonings. I usually roast them plain w/ olive oil S/P. I thought it was just a little too salty. I will cut down on salt or eliminate it since the cheese is salty too. Reply
